Let’s face it, some of us writers are more secluded, nervous about making eye contact, than others. And that’s fine. We all have our unique powers. But the question that used to get me down is: if I’m not outgoing and smiling and talking to people about my book, how will I sell anything?

So your book is coming out, or it’s out already, and you have heard the success stories about being a great marketer by doing simple things like posting on Facebook, Twitter, or whatever else. You will probably create a website or blog and convince yourself you can be outgoing for a while. And you are; blogging with personality and unleashing your charm on Twitter. But it feels forced. You can’t keep it up forever and those bestseller numbers – or any numbers – just aren’t coming.

Successful authors, I once believed, focused on what they did best. They wrote. They rearranged words on the page. And once their first novel was accepted for publication, they’d pop open the champagne, do a couple of book signings, and work full-bore on their second novel.

That was in my younger and more idealistic days – like, last year. My bubble was burst in spring 2013. At the time, WiDo Publishing was considering whether to take on my comedic novel, The Opposite of Everything. As part of the review process, WiDo asked me to submit a promotion blueprint, built around social media, detailing my plans for building an online presence. Creating buzz. What was my strategy for reaching out to reviewers? Garnering media coverage? What about my book tour?

Born in the deep forests of the Northwest, Ilume is a girl of the woods. And of the night. Ilume might be young, she might be recovering from a broken heart, but above all she's a leader. Her pack has always come first. Then, on a rare visit to the human civilization, she meets Jared.Jared Ferlyn...

RT @Copperfields Thank you to everyone who came out last night and donated to the fire relief! Thank you to all of our contributors and @Nick_Offerman for making our silent auction possible. And a special thank you to Rebecca Solnit and Peter Coyote for joining us in support of our community! pic.twitter.com/lSmePwAMUZ

RT @elizfournier After my mother died, I would line up my dolls in toy cars for a pretend funeral procession in the sandbox as an attempt to cope with the dreadful reality of the present. bethfourniergreenreaper.wordp…

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